An interview on customer service with Cary
But doesn't every company manual show employees how to treat customers?
Manuals can only go so far. The real issue has to do with whether or not your team cares that customers are provided with the best service possible. We have all been in situations as customers where we left a business and knew immediately that the employee serving us cared more about meeting our needs as opposed to simply making a sale. This alone left a positive impression on us. The point is that manuals can only go so far in directing your employees. It is really up to the employee on whether he or she truly cares and serves from the heart.
So how can an organization surround themselves with employees who, as you say, "serve from the heart?"
First it starts with who you hire. Whoever does the hiring must ask the right questions in order to get a clear idea of whether the potential employee has a heart to serve. Creating an outstanding customer service team must begin with surrounding yourself with employees who understand how to treat customers. Simply hiring people based on qualifications is only half the picture. The other half must be finding out if they are qualified in the art of serving.
What are some signs that a person is qualified in the art of serving?
That's a great question. I have found six qualifications that mark a customer service superstar. The first is having a friendly attitude. Every person who provides excellent customer service has what I call the friendly factor. This simply means that they have a way of welcoming customers. It's the way that they can build instant trust with others. The other five attitudes are enthusiasm, caring, respect, encouraging and thankfulness. These six attitudes are the theme of my second book entitled Customer Service Superstars.
Is it possible to train employees in providing outstanding service or are we just born with it?
Anyone can provide great service if they capture a vision of the importance of it. All of us will have been and will continue to be customers. Being on the other side of the fence should give us a perspective of how we like to be treated. The goal in any customer service training must be to have each participant ask how they would like to be treated as a customer. This alone will help them see that how we treat others is at the heart of customer service. When employees see the importance of serving others, they will begin to want to be more conscious in the way they treat their customers.
Having been a customer myself, I find that providing great service seems to be lacking at many organizations. If customer service is so important, why do so many businesses fail in this area?
My first thought is that organizations who lack in the area of customer service do so simply because they do not grasp the importance of it. In today's world everyone talks about providing exceptional customer service, but in reality this is not happening. I personally believe that the successful operations have created a team that continually have the "big six attitudes" that are needed if customer service is to attract others back again.
Can you briefly go through these six attitudes in more detail?
Sure. The first attitude must be friendliness. Without this attitude great customer service will never get off the ground. Customers will always judge an organization by the way they are treated. The second attitude in providing outstanding customer service is enthusiasm. There is something attractive in being around others who are enthusiastic. This is especially true when we are served by someone who is enthused about the product or service that is being provided. The third attitude is caring. I feel that this is at the heart of providing outstanding service. This attitude alone will do wonders in drawing customers back. When we truly care about others, we will automatically want to give them the best service possible.
What are the final three attitudes that will help in building an outstanding customer service team?
The fourth attitude is respecting our customers. Showing respect toward others does wonders in how they perceive our service. Respecting others also will show them that they are important and this in turns gives them a feeling of being welcomed. The fifth important attitude that must be maintained is encouraging. Having an encouraging attitude not only draws customers back, but helps to build a team that will support each other. I am convinced that sincere encouragement can change attitudes and help to bring out the best in others. Lastly is the attitude of thankfulness. People who maintain a thankful attitude attract because of the way they appreciate life and others. When customers are served by a thankful employee, the customer is bound to return again and again.
How did you come up with these six attitudes and how they play a major part in providing outstanding customer service?
I would have to say through the 30+ years of personally serving over 100,000 customers. My observation is that when we have these attitudes, others are drawn in. On the other hand, I have discovered that without these attitudes present, customers will more than likely not return. I am also convinced that 5-star customer service will only work when these attitudes are consistently present.
In closing, can you define 5-star customer service from your perspective?
My definition of 5-star customer service is having customers walk away wondering what just happened. It is having all six attitudes present and going beyond the ordinary in giving our customers more than expected. It is being friendly, enthused, caring, respectful, encouraging, and thankful all wrapped together. This is and always will be at the heart of providing outstanding customer service.
Thank you for your time.
You are more than welcome!
You seem to be passionate about customer service. How did this begin?
Since 1975 I have been serving customers. After much trial and error I have learned that some things work and some things don't work. Because customers are the bread and butter of any organization, it is imperative to understand what the customer wants and provide it. Over the years I have discovered that the majority of businesses either do not understand the essence of service or the importance of it.
Explain what you mean by the essence of customer service.
In reality, customer service has nothing to do with manuals and policies, but has everything to do with having employees who have outstanding people skills. It really does not matter if you have the greatest business policy and procedures manual for your employees if they do not understand what is at the heart of customer service.
Cary J. Cavitt
Author, Speaker, and Founder
"The quality of your service depends on the quality of your people"
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And what is at the heart of customer service?
The heart of every great customer service organization is building a team that sincerely cares that each customer receives the best possible service. Manuals can only go so far in building an outstanding service team. The only problem comes when everyone attempts to follow the rules of serving customers without understanding how to treat customers
Over 100,000 Customers Served.
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